The number of applications and services that are accessible via public computing networks has expanded greatly in recent years. E-mail, banking, and data storage are just a few examples of services that users regularly access via the Internet and which are referred to as being “on-line” or “in the cloud.” Even video game which once had been exclusively a desktop application is now provided by services in the cloud.
The on-line services enjoyed by so many are supported by sophisticated networks and high speed computing centers. As the demand for on-line services continues to grow, the providers of such services are under constant pressure to improve their networks and computing resources.